Description

MISSION STATEMENT: The mission of Society of St. Vincent de Paul CARES is to alleviate pain and suffering, in a spirit of justice and charity, through person-to-person involvement.

SUMMARY: The Peer Mentor/Outreach II provides direct outreach and pre-screening to Veterans who may be appropriate for the Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program. This includes the provision of rapid resolution, a diversion and rapid exit strategy, during and after normal business hours to determine if a Veteran seeking emergency shelter has other options where they can stay that’s safe, other than a shelter or streets/vehicle. This could be temporary or permanent. Qualified candidate must have an understanding of the issues facing people who are at risk of homelessness and options to prevent their becoming homeless. The ability to mediate and negotiate with family and friends is critical in the identification of alternatives to becoming homeless and entering a shelter or staying on the streets or other places not meant for habitation. The Peer Mentor/Outreach II must also be able to engage Veterans who are hard to reach and or not interested in participating in services to end their homelessness. The position must have knowledge of the service delivery system and the resources available for Veterans and their families to assist persons obtain necessary documentation to determine eligibility and to maximize the resources for which they are eligible. The Peer Mentor/Outreach II participate as a member of the strengths-based Case Management team.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:(These essential job functions are not to be construed as a complete statement of all duties performed. Employees will be required to perform other job-related duties as required. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at this time)

Rapid Resolution

• Provide crisis intervention to address the immediate needs of the very low-income, chronic, and non-chronic homeless veteran population
• Be available on-call during hours scheduled after normal business hours to include no less than 9 hours on Sunday and Saturday, and no less than 4 hours Monday through Friday, unless relieved by another employee.
• Must be able to return to work when on-call if necessary. Work hours in this case start from the time you leave your home until you return with a 2-hour minimum. Flexing the extra hours is at the employee’s discretion with the approval of the supervisor.
• First and immediately before or after the Veteran accesses shelter or emergency services, work with the Veteran to identify an immediate safe place to stay
• Assess the individual's family, friends and support network to assist in identifying a housing solution to prevent the Veteran and family from becoming homeless immediately and that can provide housing for at least ninety days
• Provide mediation, conflict resolution as needed
• Process Temporary Financial Assistance in accordance with required limitations
• Determine eligibility for Rapid Resolution Program and SSVF

Outreach/Peer Support

• Identify locations frequented by potential veteran applicants (including family members)
• Provide direct outreach to veterans and their families in their naturally occurring environments (i.e. home visits and community visits)
• Provide client access to services and community resources to support continued stability
• Engage and build rapport with target population
• Coordinate initial screening and assessment with Case Management team
• Participate in Stand Downs and other VA/community outreach activities
• Attend agency, community, and supervisory meetings
• Provide peer support and mentoring to SSVF participants in securing permanent housing
• Provide peer support, mentoring, and coaching to SSVF participants in navigating and accessing veteran and mainstream resources
• Evaluate and provide solutions to housing need
• Facilitate the move to housing option identified
• Utilize HMIS for data collection/case record
• Accompany veterans to appointments, when appropriate
• Facilitate discussion and training in peer groups, as determined by the Case Management team
• Monitor and document participation, progress, referrals, and services provided to participant
• Assist Case Management team in preparing exit plans and follow-up contact with SSVF program participants
• Maintain working relationships with community agencies to facilitate access to community services for participants
• Maintain working relationships with organizations specifically targeting Veterans needs
• Attend in-service trainings and outside conferences/workshops, as requested by the Program Manager

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Complies with all applicable training requirements
• Complies with all company safety, personnel, and operational policies and procedures
• Complies with work schedule to ensure effective operations of Agency programs
• Contributes positively as a member of a productive and cooperative team
• Performs other duties as necessary to fulfill the Society of St. Vincent de Paul CARES Mission

Requirements

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: (To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.)

• Demonstrate strong knowledge of the resources in the community available for the veteran population, especially services and programs offered by the VA
• Possess strong knowledge of homelessness, severe and persistent mental illness, and substance abuse
• Must demonstrate an ability to be non-judgmental and accept the principles of housing first and rapid rehousing
• Be able to speak, write and understand English
• Possess strong computer skills
• Must be sensitive to and respect cultural diversity amongst clients, staff, and volunteers and be able to work with diverse racial, ethnic, and economic groups
• Have ability to work flexible schedule including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays
• Be able to organize, prioritize, multi-task, problem solve under pressure, and deliver results
• Have excellent oral and written communication skills and listening skills
• Provide positive customer service to difficult populations
• Possess strong work ethics
• Successfully pass Law Enforcement background screening
• Possess valid Florida driver’s license if driving an agency vehicle or a personal vehicle for company business
• Must have reliable transportation
• Participate in Agency Performance Quality Improvement (PQI) program and Accreditation/ Reaccreditation process
• Have mission-driven attitude supplemented with integrity and passion
• Adhere to the highest ethical standards, personally, and professionally
• Possess high level of openness and willingness to receive feedback/suggestions from superiors and others, and to learn new skills to improve job performance
• Demonstrate evidence of deep alignment with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul CARES Mission and Values

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: (Depending on position and if prior to hire is approved by Chief Executive Officer, a comparable amount of training, education, or experience may be substituted for the minimum education qualifications)

• This position is specific to an individual with prior military experience. Experience or education with human services, homelessness, and veteran resources is a plus
• This position requires a minimum a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work or related field
• Must have minimum two years’ experience serving homeless or at-risk families and/or individuals in crisis
• Must have at least 1-year experience working with individuals experiencing homelessness
• Must have experience in mediation and negotiation and/or restorative approaches
• Must be able to comply with complex governmental regulations, policies, and procedures and demonstrate thorough document compliance efforts and activities
• Must be proficient with data management and information systems and have strong knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook. Knowledge of Access and PowerPoint a plus.
• Must demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills and possess the ability to interact effectively with other agencies and service providers
• Must have the ability to adapt to culturally diverse environments and display an attitude of compassion and acceptance of client populations
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment and understand the issues that are faced by low-income populations
• Problem solving and conflict resolution skills required

GENERAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS: These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodation can be made, if appropriate, to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions of job. Working in an office/site requires prolonged sitting at the computer workstation; standing, bending, reaching, lifting up to 20 lbs. Requires driving and walking outdoors and wooded areas. Requires manual dexterity sufficient to operate standard office machines such as computers, fax machines, calculators, telephones, and other office equipment. It is also required to regularly sit, speak, and listen, the employee is also required to walk, use hands and fingers to type, operate equipment, and maintain records and notes. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

MENTAL DEMANDS: Must handle new and diverse work problems on a daily basis. Personal maturity is an important attribute. Must be able to resolve problems, handle conflict, and make effective decisions under pressure. Must have the ability to listen objectively to people, perceive the real problem, and assist in bringing issues to a successful conclusion. Must relate and interact with volunteers, clients, contractors, visitors, and employees at all levels within the Agency.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: Environment will occasionally become noisy due to equipment operations and interactions among clients and staff. There may be the possibility of being exposed to communicable disease, possible exposure to verbal abuse, or similar behavior from residents/clients. On an as needed basis, employees may be called upon to work outside of the established work schedule or work odd hours. All information associated with the Agency is confidential.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul CARES is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

NOTE:This job description does not constitute an employment contract, written, implied, or otherwise, other than an “at will” and/or grant funded position. Any oral or written statements or promises to the contrary are hereby expressly disavowed and should not be relied upon by any prospective or existing employees. This job description is subject to change by the employer (Society of St. Vincent de Paul CARES) at the discretion of the employer, or as the needs of the employer and/or requirement of the job change. Changes can be done formally or informally, either verbally or in writing. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul CARES explicitly reserves the right to modify any of the provision of this job description at any time and without notice. This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties or essential function does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.